The Swan & the Sparrow
by Grace6
Summary: Elizabeth's pov. Her feelings for Will are strong, but can other emotions override them? PG-13 for later chapters. CHAPTER SIX UP!
1. Default Chapter

                                                                                    ~The Swan & the Sparrow~

Disclaimer—I own NOTHING. Nothing nothing nothing. Pretty depressing really….Plot (Well Most of it) belongs to Disney. Jack's personality, and quirky antics belong entirely to Johnny Depp (Who is a genius, extremely good looking, versatile, bloody brilliant actor…I could go on forever) and of course, as much as I wish I did, I do not own him. I don't own Will, Elizabeth, the Commodore…..bla bla bla…

AN- The title is pretty self explanatory; it will be in Elizabeth's point of view. I've only seen the movie 3 times, so if I don't get the dialogue exactly right, PLEASE feel free to correct me! 

Summary- Elizabeth's POV; her feelings for Will are strong, but can other emotions override them?

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            My eyelids fluttered open, and I looked frenetically around. Once sure I was safely in my own bed, and not back years ago on that ship, I took a shaky breath and sat up. My room was dim, but I could tell morning had already dawned. I closed my eyes, forcibly, and opened them reluctantly, convinced I would see the dark, ghastly ship sailing swiftly away, with aberrant speed, for calm, although gloomy, day. Memories of that day were flooding my brain, and I could not block them out. Will, his medallion, the ship, the medallion, his comely brown eyes brimming with fear, the medallion…My fingertips itched with restlessness. I wanted to feel the cold, grimy gold against my touch; trace the ominous skull over and over again. Almost in a trance, I walked over to the antique chest that held so many treasured possessions, and opened the second drawer. It slowly, although not smoothly, slid open. I carelessly removed some of my ancient memorabilia, and smiled to myself. To any other it would look like the bottom of the drawer; but I knew better. Removing the slab of wood, I stared down at it, relief filling me. It was still there. It was covered with dust, but the skull seemed to grin up at me. It had been waiting. 

            With tentative hands, I picked the object of both my dreams, and my nightmares up. A circle was imprinted on the dusty bottom of the drawer, along with a slim, twisting shape, from the chain I had taken from Will's neck so many years ago. Brushing it off, I began to memorize the skull, and every intricate design imprinted on the gold with my fingers. Then, slowly, I fastened it around my neck, admiring it against my nightdress in the fancy mirror next to my bed.

            My father, the governor, what would he do if he knew I was wearing a pirate's medallion. I didn't know how Will got it, but wasn't about to ask him.

            A knock on the door made me jump.

            "Elizabeth? Are you in there?" I scrambled around, diving for my robe, knocking a chair down in the process. "Elizabeth, are you alright? Are you decent?" Finally, I tucked the medallion into my nightdress, where nothing but the elegant gold chain would be visible.

            "Yes!" I cried, answering all of his questions at once. The door opened, and his head peeked in. He quickly entered, followed by the maid, and surveyed me with the loving eyes a father has for his only daughter. The maid pulled the curtains apart, and my eyes were dazzled by a brilliant morning. The sun shone onto the sparkling sea, lighting the sandy beaches, and bright bottle green palm trees that adorned them. My father held out a box he was holding,

            "I have a present for you, my dear," I smiled graciously, and slowly removed the lid from the box. A beautiful dress lay there, and with awed eyes, I picked it up, appreciating the soft material against my skin. 

            "Oh father, it's gorgeous!" I cried, spinning around, with the dress pressed against my body, admiring the way it whirled out around me. But then I hesitated and stopped, surveying my father, with stern, but laughing eyes. "My I inquire as to the occasion?" My father's smile faltered, but he quickly regained it.

            "Does a father have to have an occasion to coddle upon his daughter?" I laughed lightly, and took the dress to my changing quarters, followed by the maid. Shredding myself of my nightgown, I slipped into his present. "Actually," He began, with a clear of his throat, I smiled to myself. I had known this was coming. "I was hoping you would wear it to Norrington's promotion. Commodore Norrington ." I stuck my head out from behind the fancy dressing area.

            "I knew it!" I gasped triumphantly. I saw my father smile before I pulled my head back. It wasn't a voluntary movement. The maid had given the corset strings a forcible jerk, and I sucked in my breath.

            "How's it going back there?" My father asked after a few minutes, "I hear corsets are the highest fashion in England." I breathed gingerly, putting a hand to my ribs, to make sure they weren't broken. 

            "Girls in England must have learned not to breathe," I gasped, panting, trying to pull away from the maid.

            Minutes later, I was walking down the stairs, clutching the railing for support, all grace gone from me. My lungs were screaming for air, and the little bit I was able to give them was far from satisfactory. My eyes wandered to the entrance hall, where my father was conversing with Will. My father spoke to me, but his words were drowned out. I was lost, once again, in Will's eyes. He was looking at me almost lovingly, and a shy blush was rising in his cheeks. His dark, curly hair was tied at his neck and a smile was on his lips as he looked at me. 

            "Will…how are you? I had a dream about you last night," These last words had spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them. Will looked immensely pleased,

            "A dream…about me?" He stammered, I felt my heart flutter.

            "Yes. About the day we met, you remember," It was true, but it certainly all I had dreamed about.

            "How could I forget Miss Swan," He said politely. I smiled warmly at him, a smile that almost pleaded for friendship. I wanted to smash the invisible wall that always stood between us. Why did he have to be such a gentleman?!

            "Will, how many times do I have to ask you to call me Elizabeth?" I was surprised at how well I could talk, the corset was cramping my insides, squeezing the breath out of me. But now I felt faint for an entirely different reason.

            "At least once more," he courteously responded. I sighed inwardly.

            "Good day Mr. Turner," I said, turning to the open door where I could see the carriage waiting patiently.

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            The morning passed in a dizzy haze. I was only half aware of the promotion ceremony, struggling for consciousness. Each breath took an enormous amount of effort, my mind was fixed on the moment when I could rip the damn thing off, and breathe deeply again. That moment drew nearer and nearer, and just as I was going to head back to the carriage, I felt a hand gently grasp my arm. I looked up to see Commodore Norrington's handsome face looking back at me. He gestured for me to walk with him to the outdoor turret. I smiled and followed him, fanning myself vigorously. 

            The walk up the steps drained me of the little energy I had, and I leaned back against the rough rock wall. The commodore was talking, but I was only faintly aware of his words, until a few well chosen ones snapped me out of my daze. He was proposing. I looked at him, unable to keep the shock out of my face, but I soon settled back into a light headed trance. He was still talking. I tried desperately to concentrate on his words, but it was too much.

            "I can't breathe," I gasped, before I lost consciousness. 

            "Yes, I know it could come as a shock…." He never stopped talking. 

            I came dimly back to earth then I hit the icy cold water. The force stung my back, knocking the air out of me, at least it would have had there been any air in me. The arctic water had not yet warmed up to the dawning summer weather. I had no strength to survive.

            AN-It picks up, I promise!!! Besides…you all know what happens next…wink wink, nudge nudge….R and R!!!!


	2. The Calling

                                                            ~Chapter 2. The Calling~

            Disclaimer- Again, in this chapter, NOTHING IS MINE!!! Sigh….all of it belongs to Disney…

            AN-Thank you thank you thank you to Beads, Aeris Tiniel Mirime, PeachDreamer, and Ruki the Sake Fairy!! Your reviews meant a lot to me :D…. and thanks a million Beads for bringing the fact that I spelled Elizabeth SWANN's name wrongto myattention…lol...and just to alert you all that I wont be able to post the next chapters until next Monday at least.

            Right! Now……

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            Clear blue water swirled around me, foaming where my body hit the water. I highly doubted that the Commodore had perceived that I had just plummeted off an extraordinarily high cliff, feet away from him. Weighed down by my dratted petticoats, I gradually drifted to the bottom of the bright azure ocean. Thankfully I could not inhale any much water, but there certainly wasn't any air filling my lungs either.  I closed my eyes, shutting the salty liquid out, but they still burned and stung. I could not feel at all, the cold was numbing my entire body, under the bulk of my clothes.

            I was only aware that I hit the sandy bottom. My head lolled to the side, my long hair swirling, and dancing with the gentle current of the waves. The golden chain around my neck brushed past my chin as it rose upwards. The gold seemed to be pulsing, and a great force erupted from it, giving off a wave of its own. I felt empowered, as if it had given me a breath of the air I was so desperately calling for.

            Strong hands were beneath me. I tried to open my eyes, but found I had no strength. We were moving up, to the surface of the bright blue, and finally, my face was stung by cold, clean air. My rescuer was gasping for breath, but my lungs were still empty. My head fell onto his shoulder, but he seemed to be struggling. He spluttered, and I felt my head sink under the water again. Had he released me? No, I could feel his tight grip on my waist. He was kicking furiously, holding me by one hand while the other found the clasp on my petticoats. I felt him shred them from me, and they floated down to the icy depths that were almost my new home. We broke the surface again, and this time we stayed up. He was a good, fast swimmer, so I mentally ruled out the Commodore as my savior. 

            I soon felt wood brush my bare arm, and knew he had towed me to the port. He grunted as I was hoisted onto his shoulder, and through partially opened eyes, I saw a hand frantically motioning for assistance. More hands took hold of me, and I was gently placed on the hard wood. The bulky figure of a man hovered over me, a slimmer man by his side. I still could not breathe. I gasped for air, but the demand would not pass through my lungs. They were squeezed into an airtight compartment. A pudgy hand touched my cheek; they weren't doing anything to help me.

            "Move!" A gruff voice grunted. I heard water-filled boots slopping their way quickly over to me. Someone was bent over me; droplets of water splattered on my face. This was the man that rescued me; I tried to speak, but nothing escaped me. My senses were drifting away. Through a haze I felt rough hands on my chest. There was a tearing sound, and I felt the corset ripped from my body. A stream of balmy, brackish water escaped from my mouth, and I gulped the air down. The feeling in my body was coming back, the air, warm minutes ago was now chilly, and stung my bitter, wet face. With every breath I took, my lungs ached, but my lungs welcomed them to the highest degree. My head was pounding, and blood was rushing through my ears and brain. My vision was clearing, and I looked up into my rescuer's eyes.

            For one, fleeting, joyful moment I thought it was Will. His eyes were the same chocolate brown, but there was a certain depth to them that Will did not posses. They were outlined heavily with coal, smudged and smeared from his swim. He was very tan, and although he was young, his face was slightly worn with experience, and too much sun.

            "How'd you know to do that?" Came the amazed voice of the slimmer guard, holding my corset tightly against him. The man's eyes were traveling across me, making me feel more than a bit uncomfortable.

            "You've obviously never been to Singapore," He joked, in his gruff, somewhat intoxicated voice. As he spoke, I saw the glint of gold teeth covering a quarter of his mouth. His dark hair was matted into a mass of dreadlocks and braids; tucked behind his left ear was an assortment of various precious stones, strung onto a section of sopping ebony hair. A roughly cut mustache lined his upper lip, and a tuft complimented his bottom. His beard was parted into two braids, giving off an almost comical air. His clothes were torn and tattered, but the many rings on his right hand, which rested on my shoulder, gave off the notion that he wasn't a poor man. He was a pirate. I flicked my eyes back to his, but they were fixed upon the medallion, that was perched inadvertently atop my bodice. With incredulous eyes, he gently lifted it, "Where did you get that?" He mumbled, more to himself than to me. 

            I was too awed with this man to notice that a third of our National Guard army was upon us. Who was he? He was too kind to be a pirate. And while he was certainly not being very gentlemanly, if he were a Pirate, the two guards would be dead, and I would still be at the bottom of the ocean. The commodore's voice snapped me from my thoughts. I suddenly became very aware that I was lying flat on my back, with nothing on but my undergarments, which were clinging to my soaked body, with a Pirate perched atop me, fingering something near my chest. I was also very aware of the commodore's eyes boring into me. 

            The pirate too seemed to realize this, because he got to his feet, and attempted to slowly back away. But, smirking profusely, the commodore cornered him. To my great surprise he extended a hand, as if to thank the pirate. Dark eyebrow raised, eyes narrowed with suspicion, he slowly took the commodore's hand. In a swift motion, the commodore pushed the tattered sleeve of his right hand up. I could make out the white faded scar of a 'P' as well as a tattoo featuring a bird flying over a sunset. 

            "The brand of a pirate…Sparrow? Jack Sparrow?!" The commodore demanded, sounding very pleased with himself. Jack looked indignant,

            "Captain Jack Sparrow," He growled, jerking his arm from the gentleman's grip. The commodore was speaking insults as I expected, and I let my eyes take in this extraordinary sight. Looking bored, Jack was looking away from the commodore, into space, nodding with each insult, as if he had heard them time and time before. "….You must be by far the worst pirate I've ever heard of!" Commodore Norrington finished triumphantly. Jack swiveled his head back to face him,

            "Ah, but you have heard of me," He retorted, one finger pointing between the commodore's eyes, his own eyes squinting, as if nothing was in proper focus. I found myself working rather hard not to giggle. He made another attempt at escape, but was grabbed roughly by the men standing by. By now I was safely wrapped in a blanket, surveying this scene eagerly. Suddenly not wanting any harm to come of this pirate, I stepped in.

            "Certainly you do not wish to harm my rescuer," I turned my eyes to the commodore, praying I was touching a soft spot. The commodore turned a sympathetic face to me.

            "Elizabeth…" He started, but I narrowed my eyes. His tone was exasperated, as if he were speaking to some naive child; his expression was the same way, "One good deed is not enough to rid a man of a lifetime of mischief,"

            "Though it does seem enough to condemn him," Jack mused. I forced a laugh down my throat, at these words, and turned to him. My eyes never leaving the commodore, I slowly walked around him, so I was in front of Jack. The commodore sighed,

            "Fine, fine, to the gallows then," He announced, nodding at his men. The guard finished handcuffing Jack, and was immediately at Commodore Norrington's side. I heard a soft laugh behind me,

            "Oh, finally," Jack whispered to himself. There was a clinking of metal, and I could feel cold, rusting chain around my neck. As one, the guards all made a movement as if to step forward. Commodore Norrington held up a hand. "Elizabeth? It is Elizabeth isn't it?" Jack's coarse voice was in my ear, his warm breath caressing my neck. I tried my best to mimic the commodore's look of deep disgust. 

            "It's Miss Swann," I corrected him. My father looked horrified, but I found it very arduous work to keep the excitement out of my expression.

            "Miss Swann….if you will," He jerked one chained hand in the direction of the heavy guard, who was holding his hat and weapons. 

            "You despicable…" I started, but he cut me off.

            "Sticks and stones, love," Biting my lower lip I held my hands out. With a quick glance at the commodore the guard tentatively moved forward to deposit the items in my arms. I whirled around, the chain catching on my hair as I did. As if seeing this, Jack stretched his arms out, so his cuffs would not hurt me. Working my face furiously, forcing it into an angry expression, I fitted his hat and artillery on. He gave me a knowing smile, and, before my brain could register, I was free of his bind, and he was at the edge of the dock, smirking exultantly at the guards. "Ladies," He began with a glance at me, "And gentleman. You will always remember this as the day you almost caught Captain," He emphasized the word with a meaningful look at the commodore, "Jack Sparrow."

            AN—thanks to you guys that reviewed, I hope you enjoy!!! I'll type up a long one for ya when I get back on Monday….R &R!


	3. The Flight of the Sparrow

                                                            Chapter 3. Flight of the Sparrow

            Disclaimer- Nothing is mine. Bla bla bla bla…..Disney owns all possible rights. One of these days I'm going to add one of my own characters in so I don't get so depressed. (DEPPressed) heh heh heh….

            AN-I love all of you guys!!! I came home from the beach sore, and exhausted from surfing…but…dun dun DUN…8 new reviews in my inbox!!! I'm glad you like my writing, and I'm not going to thank each individual person because every time I do another review shows up and I get all confuzzled inside…*sob* lol seriously, thanks so much for reviewing and catching my mistakes…thankfully I didn't make any much…heh heh heh…

            AN2-Hey this is Grace again…a week after I wrote that last author's note…I'm so sorry about the delay in postage!! I wrote this chapter, but then wrote it over…and well…I still think it sucks, but you guys tell me what you think! 

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            He had saved my life; and I his. At least this is what was whispered in my ear before his clean exit. The words rang in my head in his crotchety voice. 'You saved my life, and I saved yours, we're square,' we were not square. They reverberated around in my brain, as I gazed at him, mouth slightly agape. It would take a lot for me to repay Captain Jack Sparrow. 

            He glanced rapidly, and optimistically upward, I could practically see the cogs working furiously in his head. The corners of his mouth arched in a smile that was concealed by his scruffy moustache. On ether side of me I felt the tension of the guards rising in the air. I knew any second now they were going to spring into action. Out of the corner of my eye, I witnessed the commodore give a very discreet nod, so discreet in fact that it could have been mistaken for a twitch. The guards leapt forward, obviously hoping to catch the pirate off guard. In a swift motion Jack seized the rope dangling from one of the extraordinary contraptions the workers used. For one moment I thought they had him; my breath caught in my throat as one of the guards made a feral dive for him, but Jack, almost gracefully, swung a foot up, kicking a lever into gear. As he flew up into the air, I let my breath out, but immediately sucked it back in as whatever was on the other end of that rope crashed down onto the dock, very nearly missing the guards.

            A thrill of excitement shot through me as the guards scurried about, cursing and yelling. But they weren't the only ones yelling. High above, the comical figure of the pirate, who's escape had just caused me to feel more excitement than I had in years, was flailing and twisting around in the air. He was spinning in a wide circle, clutching the rope for dear life, yelling with mingled fear and frustration. I put a hand to my mouth to stifle a giggle, and looked around at the commodore. His upper lip was curled with disgust and dislike, and I had a strange premonition about what the next words to come out of his mouth would be.

            "Open fire!" He shouted, motioning to the guards that were back on their feet, watching the man overhead with awe. I almost screamed as gunshots pierced the crisp, cool, afternoon air. Jack was still orbiting above us; I clapped a hand to my mouth, and squeezed my eyes shut as tight as they would go. A scream was rising in my throat, and I bit my lip as hard as I could to stop it. I wanted to cry out, do whatever I could to impede the shots. This wasn't right; this man had saved my life! He must be a good man, however slippery he may appear. I felt a hot rush of hatred towards Commodore Norrington. I clenched my teeth together; my trepidation for Jack elapsed for a split second. The gunshots were slowing and at a snail's pace, I opened my eyes, petrified of what I might see. 

            I realized I had been holding my breath, and I let it out in a relieved stream. Jack was teetering hazardously atop a narrow beam, rigged with ropes to support the shore workers. I stole a quick peek around me, relieved to find that no one had glanced in my direction. I was now beginning to feel exceedingly foolish, and a cherry tinge crept into my cheeks as I held my head up as high as possible. Siding with a pirate. Standing up for a scoundrel who only saved my neck in hopes of saving his own. I should be disgusted with myself; with him! 

            The heavy footsteps of all the guards rushing past at once brought me back to earth with an unpleasant thump. Feeling much like I had been caught in the middle of a frantic stampede of charging bulls, I tried to shrink to the side. I soon realized why they were hurtling down the dock. I looked up just in time to see Jack speeding down the rope rigged to his perch. I was reminded plainly of a child on a particularly lofty and dodgy playground. He landed most ungracefully on the very solid ground, and took off with a swift glance over his shoulder. The look on his face was not of fear, or desperation to escape. He was having the time of his life.

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            "There you are Miss; you've had a hard day," The maid smiled warmly at me as she placed the hot pan between my sheets, with a glance out the window. What had started as a wonderfully inviting day had turned into what could have been easily mistaken for a chilly winter's night.  I closed my book; drowsiness was engulfing me, making my eyelids droop.

            "Well I suspected the commodore would propose, but I must say I wasn't entirely prepared for it," I mused aloud. The maid looked taken aback,

            "Oh! No, I meant getting threatened by that pirate! It must have been terrifying…" A flush crept into my face once again. I felt suddenly very childish. Rambling on about a proposal, completely oblivious to the fact that a pirate had held me at gunpoint. 

            "Oh yes…terrifying…" Even as the words escaped my lips they sounded forced and unconvincing. There was a silence in which I stared avidly at the soft sea green hangings that graced my bed, without seeing them.

            "If it isn't to bold to say…You and the commodore, now there's a smart match," She looked at me, head cocked to the side. I quickly resumed my examination of the hangings. Smart match indeed. The commodore and the governor's daughter. But whenever I thought of the commodore a dull, monotonous feeling would creep up my chest. His face seemed bland, old, and fatherly. Out of nowhere Will's face drifted into my mind; I smiled to myself. Whenever I thought of Will my heartbeat would accelerate, and a thrill would wriggle in my stomach.

            "Yes, I suppose it is a smart match…Any girl would dream of marrying the commodore," But Will would not leave my thoughts alone.

            "That Will Turner…he's a fine man too," She smiled knowingly at me. I started; I felt my eyes widen in shock, and the flush creeping down my neck. I didn't know what to do or say, and I suddenly felt irritated. Who did she think she was?

            "That is too bold," I stated in a dangerously soft voice. If I was not mistaken she seemed somewhat dissatisfied.

            "Well I'm sorry miss, it wasn't my place," She smiled again and headed for the door.

            The heavy-eyed feeling that had overcome me moments before had vanished. I felt wide awake, all kinds of thoughts flashing through my brain. The Commodore, Will, Jack… How could I turn down Commodore Norrington? I was expected to marry a well respected man, not a blacksmith! I smiled sheepishly to myself, and pulled the warm silk comforter tighter around me. Had I just thought of marrying Will? I sighed at the rush of mingled emotions that were consuming me. I turned my thoughts over, trying to get them off Will and Commodore Norrington. They fell on Jack. Every part of me wanted to hate that man. My insides seared with boiling anger when I thought about my panic earlier today. I had been worried for the bastard; I had been worried sick. 

            Kicking the covers off, I slipped silently out of bed, and padded across the room to the window. Leaning against the wall, I pressed my forehead against the chilled glass. Every part of me wanted to hate that man. But something about the depth in those brown eyes wouldn't let me.

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Ok, question!!

Who thinks I should cut the crap and after she's kidnapped go strait to when Will saves her…*abandoning jack in the process…Grrr...*….or write every little detail about her on Barbossa's ship? It's up to you all!


	4. Fools Gold

Nikki Staggerwall—Thanks! The realization that they're both named after birds (coincidence? Ri-ight) inspired me to write this.

 Erinya—I'm glad you like it! I can't get anything past you can I! lol! Thanks for giving me some pointers; I'll definitely pay more attention to my errors in the future. As for original scenes; where the movie ends is where my story basically begins!!

Aeris Deathscythe—There will be more story after my pointless ramblings!! :D

WolviesLover—Thank ya, thank ya, and thank ya very much!

Elizabeth Sparrow—Thanks! And Jack will be a main character! Savvy?

IcePrincess618—Of course I'll put Jack in the story! Thanks for your review! 

Beads—Thank you! I think I shall put in her last thoughts about who knows what or who ;)….

Baby-blue4—Thanks, I'm glad you like the dialogue, but most of it isn't mine! We'll see if I can live up to all your guy's expectations when I start writing my own scenes! Lol!

Yuhi— lol, I'm not sure if the length depends on which way I go, but I'll try to make it a long one for ya!

JadedSky1—Thanks, since some of you have said cut the crap and others write what happens to her, I'll do whatever comes to me:D

Aeris Tiniel Mirime—Yeah, I tried to slip a few 'sweet moments' in there… glad you like it!

Shadow Phenix—Yes, I'll have to decide how I'm going to slowly develop her emotions, so this chapter might be a while!

EternalSoulFlame—Thanks! I'm not re-writing the movie, just sort of picking up where it left off (after I finish this 5 chapter prologue!).

Draconia Malfoy1---Thank ya!!! Another Chapter on its way!!!

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            Slipping onto a restless doze, in my seat by the window, I was blissfully unaware of the intrusion on Port Royal. My mind kept wandering, worrying, throughout my agitated sleep…

~*~

            Will's handsome face, drawing closer and closer, my heart fluttered, knowing what would happen next, but before our lips met, his face little by little changed into Commodore Norrington's. 

            I gasped and stepped back; the dull blue eyes smirked, and would not leave my body. He stepped forward, leer increasing, and I automatically took a step back. I was on the very edge of the dock, and the Commodore still came towards me. His hand outstretched, and I trembled, not liking the fire that had suddenly sparked in those cobalt eyes. I took a final step back, and with a shriek plunged into the icy depths once again. 

            The commodore dove gracefully after me, grasping my arm, pulling me up to the surface. I writhed and struggled to get away, but his grip was strong. He heaved me onto the dock, despite my vicious protests. I twisted furiously, and swatted him away with a shaking hand. He bent over me, and I closed my eyes, wishing desperately that I would wake up soon. 

            "Shhh…It's alright Lizzie," a gruff voice most unlike the Commodore's reached my ringing ears. My eyes snapped open; and I was not looking into the lackluster eyes of the Commodore. Beautiful chocolate pools greeted me. To my disgust, I willingly stopped struggling, breathing heavily. Jack. In a position much like the one we found ourselves in earlier, I was almost overjoyed to see the pirate. 

            His long dreadlocks tickled my face, as he bent low over me. The smile on his lips was not the cruel sneer I had always expected a pirate to carry, but genuine; caring. 

            A loud bang interrupted us; the Commodore, gun still pointing at Jack had a look of malicious triumph on his face. I screamed bloody murder as Jack's limp form slumped onto my shoulder.

~*~

            There was another deafening **bang** and I jumped, joggled from my dream. My nightmare. Breathing heavily, it took a moment for the flashing pictures to fade from my mind. More earsplitting bangs and screams met my ears. I looked frantically out the window, an unexplained panic rising in my chest. Fire was already spreading rapidly from the crumbled remnants of the town. People were fleeing in all directions; I was harshly reminded of the tuna I had watched for hours on my father's ship when a particularly large dolphin or shark was coming in for the kill. They were shrieking, most dodging explosions, some agile and quick, but most were not so lucky.

            My mouth was open in horror, but my heart almost stopped when my eyes traveled to the shore. The gaunt ship that had haunted my dreams for years was moored in Port Royal. A light moving towards me caught my dazed eye. From the glow of a torch I saw eerie figures making their way drunkenly up the path. I immediately snapped out of my dazed, open mouthed state, and sprang into action.

            Skidding slightly on the ridiculous Oriental rug, I grasped the banister to stop myself. Death was literally knocking on our door. The butler that had been with us since I was a child loyally went to open it. 

            "Don't!!" I shouted in revulsion, but I was too late. 

            "'Ello Chump," what was unmistakably a pirates voice growled through the silence. A gunshot mixed with my own strangled scream left my ears ringing. They turned to me and their faces were what I had imagined Pirates to truly look like. Worn out, unsightly, they leered at me, yellow and brown teeth glinting. They're eyes were dull and filled with cruel desire. One of the men had a fake eye, too large for his small face. Pirates were supposed to be repulsive and frightening, not alluring—even in my life or death situation I paused. What exactly were my thoughts trying to tell me? Had I really just called Jack alluring?! 

            I found that my feet had carried me back into my own bedroom. I quickly shut and bolted the door, looking around frantically for a place to hide. A pair of clammy hands grasped my shoulders. I gasped and whirled around, only to find the maid that had so infuriatingly saw through my cheerful-to-be-Mrs.-Norrington manner earlier that night. She was hysterical, and I could barely make out the words.

            "They've come for you!!" I stared, what did she mean?

            "What?"

            "You're the Governor's daughter," She stated dramatically. Of course; in all the books about pirates I had read the Governor's daughter, or the princess had always been held hostage by these rogues. 

            "Hide, they have not yet seen you! First chance you have, get out!" I choked out in my stab of panic, before rushing through the door into the dining room. I heard pounding, and scratching on the door I had just bolted shut, and my search for some kind of weapon became frantic. The old antique swords, hanging above the dying fire seemed my only hope. I stumbled across the room, and, standing on tip-toes managed to pull the swords off its hook. The redwood it was born on however was much heavier than I had expected. It fell to the floor with a clunk, and as hard as I shook, I could not pull the swords off. With a cry of exasperation and growing panic, I gave up on the swords and fled from the room. 

            There was a crash, and a bang, and scuffling footsteps behind mine. They were coming. I spun around, my eyes scouring the room. Nothing was properly in focus, and my whole body seemed to be trembling. With a rush of hope I darted forward to retrieve the rifle my father always kept in the drawing room for our safety. But I seemed to be moving with great effort. It was as if something was weighing me down, but it wasn't the usual dragging feeling of my petticoats. Something weightless, yet exceedingly intense was making it hard for me to even keep my head up.

            My vision was not working properly; pictures were coming in flashes, the eerie light of their lantern illuminated the room. I whirled around, I felt as if a pillow were being tightly pressed against my face. It was not the tight, concealed feeling I had acquired from the corset, but an inhuman feeling. I was not breathing-my mouth and nose seemed to be closed up. But there **was** air in my lungs. Cool, frosty air, most unlike the muggy atmosphere in Port Royal. My heart was doing a frenetic drum roll in my chest, I could feel the blood pounding in my throat and head. But there was another heartbeat reverberating through me; a steady, empowering beat, coursing through me, giving me strength. 

            My head felt like it weighed a ton. It started to roll foreword onto my chest, when a flash caught my eye. Grinning up at me with a leer to match the rogues in front of me was the medallion. It was what they wanted. So I would give it to them. What was it to me? In fact, I could offer myself to them as well. These men weren't bad. What was I doing with a rifle in my hands? Did I honestly want to hurt these kind gentlemen? Rifles were only to kill bad people. An image from my dream floated back to me. Bad people like Jack Sparrow…

            All too suddenly I felt myself again. My head snapped back up, panic rushing back with full force. The pirates were advancing, and with shaking hands I aimed the rifle. The portly one in front chuckled; in a split second I found the rifle almost ripped from my hands. I kept a firm hold on it, but it was still pointing upwards, directly at the still glowing embers of the lantern. With the flash of a sudden idea, I pulled the trigger, and with a muffled **bang!** Hot coal spilled out, and rained on their heads. I took the opportunity to dart from the room, taking refuge in the coat closet.

            There I sat, for what seemed an eternity, crouched low, in a most uncomfortable position. I heard footsteps enter. A gruff voice spoke,

            "Come out come out poppet. Come out, and we wont have no reason to lay a finger on you," I hoped he was grammatically challenged, and had not just meant that if I came out he wouldn't have **no** reason to harm me. I closed my eyes, hoping desperately for them to leave. But the footsteps were drawing closer.

            "You know what we want. The gold calls to us," With trembling fingers, I touched the gold skull hanging from my neck. The narrow strip of light entering from the crack in the door was suddenly blocked. "'Ello Poppet." The door flew open, I was trapped. My brain was reeling in a blizzard of swift thoughts. I settled on the first one that seemed reasonable.

            "Parlay!" The word that would turn my life into hell.

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AN: OMFG! This chapter was soooo late, I know! My deepest apologies, I love all that reviewed, thank you thank you thank you! I was in a bit of a slump, so the chappie might not be as good…lol, sorry if I went a bit too Lord of the Rings near the end there. I know I didn't get 'Parlay' right, but y'all know what I meant. 

XOX,

Grace


	5. The Blood of a Turner

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            'There's no reason to be killin' you…yet,' the words haunted my daunting dreams; on the nights I could get to sleep that is. I was as close as the living could get to hell; on hell's own ship, with hell's own men. These men were damned; cursed. They were cursed by the very thing that had been in my possession for so many years. I gave a shiver, although at this time of day the weather was hot. I had sensed something about these pirates was very asymmetrical, but this was too much. **They weren't even human**. A chilled terror filled my every moment; I had never been so miserable. I was petrified of where we were going, and what my fate would be when we got there. But horror wasn't the least of my emotions.

            My heart was brimming with jealousy; spilling down into the dark pit of anger below. I was jealous of everyone. Everyone but me; everyone with freedom. I was even jealous of the giggling girls back in Port Royal. At least they didn't have Commodore Norrington undressing them with his eyes whenever my father wasn't there. I would give anything to be anyone else, anywhere else, but myself, on this damned ship. I wanted to be able to stand up for myself, put up a good fight, and have the brains to outwit anyone! Most of all I was jealous of Jack.

            Jack occupied most of my thoughts. I told myself over and over again that this was his entire fault. The Black Pearl had ambushed Port Royal the same day he arrived, didn't it? It wasn't likely that two legends would suddenly appear in the same day. I needed to put the blame on **someone**. I was livid at him; and furious with myself for thinking about him so often, even though the thoughts were far from kindly. But at the same time I had a gnawing feeling that he was the only one who could rescue me, and he was enslaved in the prisons of Port Royal.

            My brain was a waterfall of colors and thoughts, hatred and love, crashing down upon me with astonishing force. But I didn't let it show. I put on a tough face and faced my fears the best I could. I was good at hiding my emotions.

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            The deranged roars of the pirates surrounding me filled my ears, throwing in a sense of quivering dread to my fear. Side by side with Barbossa, I was almost blinded by the glare of the torches on the mountains of gold we were standing on. Barbossa's proud cries were blurred, and my brain wasn't registering what the jumble of words meant. But one sentence rang out loud and perfectly clear.

            "And now…spill her blood," he turned to me, teeth bared in a menacing grin. This was it; I closed my eyes, but when I heard the groan of old hinges being put to work again, I couldn't resist. I found myself staring into more gold coins, identical to the one that had caused all this mess. But unlike mine, I detected ghastly stains; blood, dried in the edges and cracks, I felt my stomach turn. Very soon another would be joining the horde of gold skeletal faces staring up at me.

            A glimmer and a streak of black caught my eye, followed by another glimmer. I whirled around. That damned monkey, staring innocently up at me, the medallion hanging by the golden chain I had fastened to it dangling from one tiny hand. As I watched, Barbossa delicately plucked the coin from his grasp, and turned to face me. The other glimmer soon became obvious. The tip of a long dagger was lightly pressed against my skin. In one instant it was over. A searing pain, the cold hardness of the coin in my oozing palm, and the chink of gold upon gold. 

            I stared, aghast at the men. That was it? A mere scratch compared to what I had imagined. All their eyes were closed. A deathly silence had filled the cave, they were waiting for something. It was only then that it hit me. The complexity of my situation all started by one simple lie, to ensure that my identity was safe. Words came spilling back to me. The story Barbossa had told; my own voice telling the men I was Elizabeth **Turner**. Their faces had looked shocked, and hungry. Of course they hadn't taken me back to shore. They needed **me**…or so they thought. One by one their eyes were opening. The portly pirate that had first captured me in my own closet spoke.

            "I don't feel no different," this was followed by choruses of 'did it work?' and, 'what's going on here captain?'  Lazily, Barbossa removed a pistol from his jacket, and aimed it at the portly pirate in front. The shot was heard, and his grungy shirt had a singed hole in the chest, but the pirate was still very much alive. The pirate was indignant, but Barbossa was livid.

            "You!" He barked at me, "are you Elizabeth Turner?! Are you William Turner's daughter?!" Somehow he didn't seem so frightening anymore. I drew my self up to full height, and answered proudly,

            "No." Angry roars filled my ears. 

            "I say we spill all her blood, just in case!" This was answered by a howl of agreement. But Barbossa's anger seemed beyond words. At the height of his fury, his strong fist collided with me, sending me tumbling down the mountain of gold. Something landed beside me. The medallion, I fastened a hand around it before losing consciousness. 

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            What was probably only minutes later I was shaken lightly awake. I found myself looking into a most comforting pair of eyes. Will motioned for me to come quickly with him, and I slid into the frosty water, still clutching the medallion. I had thought for sure that if I was going to be saved Jack would be the one to thank. But now I felt a rush of hatred towards Jack, and myself. Why had I ever doubted Will? How could I?! Jack Sparrow was probably locked up in Port Royal still. **And** he was most likely responsible for my kidnap, not my rescue!

            Before I knew it I was boarding the 'Dauntless' (had Will **really** commandeered a ship?!) and was enfolded in a warm blanket. But I was still shivering. Will looked incredibly troubled, and would not meet the eye of an elderly man at my side. A very familiar elderly man at that.

            "Captain Gibbs?" I asked cautiously.

            "Aye…first man Gibbs," His eyes narrowed slightly at Will, "Speakin' of which…where be the Captain? Where's ol' Jack gotten to?" Will looked more anxious than ever.

            "Hold on! Jack? Jack Sparrow?" I interrupted, an odd feeling creeping up inside me. Gibbs gave a quick nod, and I felt my mouth drop. Will was still looking incredibly uncomfortable. 

            "He fell behind," He mumbled, before turning, heading for the lower decks. I wasn't sure what 'he fell behind' meant, but by the look on Gibb's face, I knew it wasn't good.

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AN-It's finally finished! Chapter 5 is up! This freakishly long prologue will be over in two chapters. Then the fun begins…


	6. A Devil's Dowry

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            Holy. Shit. 

MONTHS! ALMOST A WHOLE YEAR! I AM SOOO SORRY IF THERE'S ANYONE STILL READING! 

Disclaimer: I don't own PotC. I don't own CAPTAIN Jack Sparrow (damn) or Elizabeth Swann (*cough* ElizabethSparrow *cough*). I don't even own the plot so far!

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            "Will?" I was lost in thought and the sound of my own voice startled me. Will's dazzling eyes flickered up to my face.

            "Yes Elizabeth," he replied softly.

            "How—how…how did he fall behind?" I finally spoke. Will's eyes immediately returned to my hand, which he was binding with a cloth.

            "I…I don't know." The manner of his voice told me otherwise. I frowned,

            "But…You were with him…" Will would not meet my eyes. There was a deathly hush in which I looked fixedly at him, but he would not return my gaze.

            "Listen Elizabeth," He said sharply, causing me to jump, "He's a pirate. I know he brought me here, but you must understand that it wasn't for me…or you. He was going to trade me for Barbossa's ship." I stared. This couldn't be right. "Pirates are dire…the lot of them." He said heatedly, mostly to himself.

            "No. Not all of them," I countered in almost a whisper, my mind on two very diverse men. Now he looked up at me. His eyebrows were raised, eyes penetrating mine for a shred of evidence that he had misheard. I took a deep breath, and reached for his hand. I brought it at a snail's pace down my neck to the lace lining of my gown, where the medallion shone in the feeble firelight. I trembled at the tingling sensation of his skin against mine, but his hand was quickly withdrawn. I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the look on his face as he recognized the medallion. I was trying desperately to block out all emotion; I forced myself to think of Will, and Will alone. Eyes still closed, I swallowed hard, as I felt the medallion lifted from my neck. My throat ached, and my eyes burned as I fought to keep the tears away. Blocking out sentiment seemed to be working; I was drained of thought and feeling; numb, except for the desperate impulse to start bawling.

            "This…this was mine," Will had finally spoken. I opened my eyes to find myself gazing into his, which were flickering with betrayal. "You took it?"

            "Will, please…I was so scared that you were…a pirate," I silently begged forgiveness with him, praying he wouldn't notice the choked quality of my voice. But I could no longer read the look in his eyes; he was shutting me out.

            "So…it's not your blood Barbossa wanted…it's mine." He spoke slowly, "The blood of the pirate," He slammed his fist down on the shabby wooden table, almost knocking it over. My eyes were welling up, and with no other choice laid before me, I turned and stormed out of the room.

            It was so hard to believe that just nights ago I was laying in my own bed in Port Royal, the only worry on my mind whether to accept Commodore Norrington's proposal or not. Just days ago I was sopping wet, lying on a dock in Port Royal…Jack Sparrow kneeling over me. A hot tear trickled down my cheek, quivering on my chin before falling onto the atrocious dress Barbossa had given me. Jack…Sure, just minutes after I had met him, he had a gun to my head, using me for his own escape. But just minutes before that he had saved my life …and after all, Will could never have saved me if Jack hadn't lead the way. But Will had just told me that it wasn't to save me…or help him. Wasn't Jack going to trade Will for a ship?

            Uncertainty was clogging my mind; most of it revolving around Jack. I'd never spoken to him, only been in his presence for minutes, yet he shadowed my ever thought. ****

"Pirates are dire," I repeated Will's words aloud to myself, forcing myself to believe them. Jack was just such a mystery to me, to everyone; I was curious, that was all, I wanted to know the truth about this fascinating man I had read about. I was curious, nothing more. This too I tried to force myself to believe, but the scruffy face, surrounded by unkempt dreadlocks, bejeweled with the russet eyes that alone showed the emotion he would not, refused to leave my mind.

            If only I had had more time; Time undisturbed by Norrington or my father. But I never would. Another tear trickled down my cheek; Jack Sparrow had finally met the end. If only I had had more time… lots of time…with Jack…to learn, to study his every move, to find out who he really was.

            Be careful what you wish for.

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            After a quarter of an hour I felt composed enough to go up on deck, but when I poked my head out of the trapdoor I was surprised to find chaos on the ship. Men were scrambling around, ropes, cannons, sails held tightly in their arms. Gibbs and Anna Maria were screaming orders to the crew; I made my way over to them.

            "What's happening?" I tried to make myself heard above the shouts. Anna Maria looked over her shoulder, then back at me.

            "The Black Pearl, she's gaining on us," I could tell she was trying her hardest to hide her fear. I leaned over the rail. Sure enough, the gloomy, unmistakable outline of the Black Pearl was moving closer by the second, a dark fog not far behind.

            "But this is the fastest ship in the Caribbean!"  I exclaimed, praying it would hold true. Anna Maria gave me a piercing look.

            "Well you can tell them that after they've caught us." She looked straight ahead, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. I looked back at the ghost ship, my mind racing, skimming over everything I had ever read about pirates, sailing, and ships. Settling on the first one that sounded remotely reasonable, I scrambled over to Anna Maria.

            "We're shallower on the draft right?" She looked slightly startled at my piece of knowledge.

            "Aye..."

            "Well, then can't we lose them amongst those shoals?" I waved a hand in the general direction of the shoals, as I looked frantically from her to Mr. Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs seemed to like this idea. He turned to Anna Maria, eyes shining with new hope,

            "We don't have to out run 'em long, jus' long enough," Looking as if it were against her better judgment, Anna Maria started shouting orders to the crew. There was scrambling, yelling, and utter chaos on deck. I chanced a glance back at the Pearl. It was still drawing closer by the minute. Anna Maria's face was stern.

            "It **was** a good plan. Up 'till now."

            "Gibbs!" My heart seemed to get heavier as Will raced up on deck. "We have to make a stand. We must fight! Load the guns!" The boyish look on his face was almost laughable.

            "With what?" Anna Maria fixed him with a piercing glare.

            "Anything. Everything. Anything we have left!" I wanted to scream. This wasn't right! We shouldn't be the ones starting battle! And why was I suddenly feeling so irritated with Will? Why couldn't I get the peeving thought that if Jack was here we would have a smooth escape from this hell, out of my head?!

            "Load the guns!" Gibbs shouted orders to the crew. Anna Maria raised her eyes to the sky; I felt Will staring at me. Gibbs voice was now concerned,

            "The Pearl's gonna luff up on our port quarter! She'll rake us without ever presenting a target!" Another suggestion came spilling out of my mouth.

            "Lower the anchor of the right side!" This was met by blank looks. "On the starboard side!" **This** was met by cynical looks.

            "It certainly has the element of surprise." Will said it as if it were a last resort. This was too much for Anna Maria.

            "You're daft lady! You both are!" A wild smile came over Gibb's face as she spoke.

            "Daft like Jack!" He growled. I could not stop the surge of pride that swept over me. Gibbs was shouting orders. Before I knew it the ship was lurching to one side with an almighty groan of complaint. Out of the corner of my eye I spotted Anna Maria struggling to keep the wheel from turning.

            "Let go!" I cried. She immediately stepped back, the wheel a blur. The Pearl was parallel with us. Both ship's cannons were lit, and the air was filled with earsplitting explosions. 

            "We could use a few more ideas, lass," Gibbs grunted to me through the throbbing racket.

            "Your turn!" I panted, struggling to fire a rifle. He sighed.

            "We need a devils dowry," In an instant I was grabbed by Anna Maria, the cold metal end of a pistol to my head.

            "We'll give 'em her." She snarled. Will did not move to help me. Instead he spoke quietly,

            "She's not what they're after," My hand automatically groped for the medallion. It was gone. Will took off for the lower deck. Smoke was fogging my vision, cannon rumbles unsettling my hearing. Barbossa's men were now boarding our ship; I could hear only their raucous war cries above the explosions. They were everywhere, swarming over our deck, taking out anything or anyone in sight.

(AN: Again, I am SO sorry! I know that I've lost all my readers, so I'm paying for it, but if you happen to chance by this fic again, don't hate me!)


	7. Mortal

Hellooooo my pretties! Mmmmm 'kay, so this chappie will be a bit shorter than the rest; I know I really should have put it up with the last one, but we all have our blonde moments :D. Thanks SOOO much for your guy's reviews, I luv you all! I know I said that the stuff from the movie would be over in a few chapters, but now I'm not so sure. My prediction is about five more (including this one) and then the movie will be over, and my story will begin. If you haven't noticed I've snuck some Liz/Jack moments in, where Lizzie sort of strayed from the movie, but, it's FANFICTION, so who cares!

Enjoy.

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            Gunshots filled the air; the cracks puncturing my brain, so I couldn't tell which were real, or which I was imagining. It was clear that we were at the slight disadvantage of being mortal. A well placed shot from one of Barbossa's men, and one of our crew, and friends, was down for good. A well placed shot from one of our men, and the recipient would falter for a moment, shake himself, and return to the battle.

            A groan was rising above the din. Most, against their will and better judgment, turned to the source of the sound. I too, turned my head just in time to see a massive sail crash down on Barbossa's ship with a noise beyond words. He was standing there. Right in the middle of his own ship, in the middle of the sail's target. Just watching it. He lifted his head as is it started to fall. His tall frame was narrowly missed, perfectly placed in the middle of a hole in the battered canvas. I shivered. For some reason the image was a harsh reminder that we could not win. Or maybe that's what he wanted.

            Turning my attention back to the battle, I was met by gleaming eyes, and yellow teeth baring in a nasty grin. A sword was raised, level with my throat. My breath caught. Cornered, I cursed myself for getting distracted. He advanced, and I backed up, until I was pressed against the rail of the ship. He brought his hand back, preparing for a quick, powerful slice. I braced myself, heart pounding with what I thought was its last beats. However, moments later, it was still pounding hard, and I had not felt the bite of cold metal on any part of my skin. A grimy hand, adorned with countless rings and many small scars, had caught the repulsive pirate's arm.

            "That's not very nice," A familiar voice slurred. For a moment I locked eyes with Jack Sparrow, who cocked his eyebrows, in a smug, this-is-what-you-get-for-getting-off-your-guard look. Not even daring to venture into the thought of how the hell he was back, I aimed a surprisingly hard blow with the body of my rifle at the pirate still in Jack's grasp. He lurched foreword, but being so close to the edge landed in the foreboding water with a splash. I shot the look right back at Jack, who quickly his surprise with a smirk. A bullet bounced off the wooden post a foot from his head, and he pulled me down to crouch under the safety of the ship's rail. "Where's the medallion?" He growled. Not the first words I had wanted to hear from his mouth. An uncontrollable wave of anger washed through me.

            "Wretch!"  I half-shouted, attempting to strike him. He grabbed my hand with surprisingly quick reflexes for a man that always seemed so drunk. I felt almost immediately calm. The grip on my wrist was not hard, but just hard enough that I could not wriggle out of it. He surveyed the bandage on my hand from where 'the blood had been repaid'.

            "Ah…Where is dear William?" The anger surged back at what he had done to Will. Without a backwards glance at him, I fled to the trapdoor where Will had disappeared to in his search for the medallion.

            "Will?!" I called through the heavy iron door.

            "Elizabeth!" His deep voice was muffled. I pulled at the door, but it wouldn't budge. Damn. I looked over my shoulder. Where was Jack when you needed him?!

            "I can't move it!" My voice was strangled and panicky. I could hear water rushing through the bottom deck. Two pairs of arms gripped me. Not gentle like Will, or Jack, I knew this was not a good situation. I screamed for Will, and screamed for the pirates to let me go, but they pretended not to hear. 

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            "If any of you so much as think the word Parlay, I'll have your guts for garters." A squat pirate paced us with a gun cocked menacingly, speaking through gritted teeth. I was loosely tied my ropes, bound to the rest of the crew, that I knew I could easily get out of. Jack was tied somewhere behind me; and I wondered why he wasn't attempting to free himself. The pirate patrolling us, turned his back. Wriggling wildly for a moment, I felt myself slip out of the ropes. Making a dash for Barbossa before I was shot at, I was blown suddenly backwards by an earsplitting explosion. Fiery gas rose in a great ball from the interceptor as it exploded, and I could feel the heat brush past my unprotected face all the way from here. 

            "Will!" I screamed, rushing to the rail, disbelief filling me. I heard a chuckle beside me. Barbossa was surveying the ship with twisted pleasure lining his face. I dove at him. Had Jack not been guarded by three pirates, he might have received some of my wrath as well. I clawed and kicked at every part of Barbossa I could reach. "You've got to stop it! Stop it!" Even I don't know what the words mean. The blanket of unreality was suffocating my brain. Barbossa struggled with me for a moment, before he had a strong grip on my wrists, long yellow nails digging into my flesh.

            "Welcome back, miss. You took advantage of our hospitality last time. It holds fair, now you return the favor," He growled. I knew that now he knew I was not a descendant from the cursed pirate of whom the medallion belonged to, I was nothing above useless. I was shoved roughly back, where I stumbled, and was caught by the unwelcome hands of many pirates grasping and groping every part of my body. I screamed in anger, and tried to fight them off. Something was happening at the front of the boat. Slowly, one by one, their obnoxious howling, and laughter subsided, and their heads snapped foreword. I froze, in the middle of slapping a hand off my neck. Will was climbing up onto the rail, sopping wet, and breathing hard. This was too much for me. Fist Jack, now Will. I was beginning to doubt that Barbossa's men were the only ones a part of this curse.

            "Barbossa!" Will barked, the grey pirate slowly turned to the sound of his voice. Will brandished a gun. I felt my eyebrows rise. It suddenly struck me how childish he seemed. Like a little boy playing pirate with his friends. I was the governor's **daughter**, and even I knew that you do not wave a gun spastically at 50 living-dead pirates. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jack shaking his head. Will motioned at me. "She goes free." He was not calm, and almost lazily collected like Jack. His words were rushed, nerves dripping from every syllable. Barbossa took a step foreword,

            "What's in your head, boy?"

            "She goes free." Light laughter rose from the crowd of pirates. Barbossa rolled his eyes at the repetition. Will raised the gun menacingly.

            "You've only got one shot, and we can't die," He drawled, smirking.

            "Don't do anything stupid," I heard Jack breathe. 

            "You can't. I can." Will raised the gun to his own head. **What the hell?** I struggled against the pirates grip.

            "Like that." Jack groaned. Barbossa frowned.

            "Who are you?" He questioned the smirk visible in his voice. Jack had fought free of his guard's clutch. 

            "No one! He's no one… A distant cousin of my aunt's nephew…twice removed." He was speaking quickly, so Will couldn't interrupt. " Lovely singing voice though…" He gave a sideways glance at Will, and lowered his voice, "Eunuch." I couldn't help but be puzzled at this. I hoped it wasn't true, but at the same time wondered how Jack would know such a thing. Will shot Jack a deadly glare.

            "My name is Will Turner. My father was Bootstrap Bill Turner. His blood runs in my veins." **Bootstrap Bill Turner**? But… that was a pirate's name. A hush fell through Barbossa's men. 

            "He's the splitting image of old Bootstrap, come back to haunt us." One of them spoke, eyes fixed on Will.

            "On my word, do as I say, or I'll pull this trigger and be lost to Davy Jones' locker." A few pirates snorted.

            "Name yer terms Mr. Turner," Barbossa seemed to have a new false respect for will.

            "Elizabeth goes free," 

            "Yes, we know that one, anything else?" Jack was motioning furiously to himself. I glared. Of course, he'd want to assure his own safety.

            "And the crew! The crew is not to be harmed." Jack was gesturing for Will to continue, but Will seemed satisfied. Having been caught in Barbossa's trap once myself, I knew he had not been specific enough. Barbossa turned to his men, flashing a devilish grin.

            "Agreed."

(A/N: lol, so it definitely not shorter that the other chapters…Hope you enjoyed it, and, we all know that 'THE ISLAND SCENE' is next :D:D:D)


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